Who wants to move to Hawaii?

[RS]

Okay.

I'm getting depressed seeing all the posts of people moving to Hawaii for the good life. Can you really sell everything, move to paradise, and survive? Don't these plans ever fail? Is anyone in Hawaii really happy? Is the best diving really on the big island?

Here's my plan. My wife and I own a really nice home in Kauai (rental), and a home in NoCal. As soon as our NoCal home will sell for a certain price, we are outahere. It's close, but not yet. I have some connections that will help me subcontract w/ companies on the mainland and Oahu for scratch.

What's your plan?

 

[justleesa]

Check out the job and housing markets before you make a choice...

 

[drbill]

There's a job market in Hawaii? I've had several friends who lived there for years move back to the mainland because they could no longer find work.

Of course I've been tempted myself, but have never even been to Hawaii. Thankfully the winter water temps here are a balmy 55-57 degrees so I can't complain about SoCal diving.

 

[justleesa]

yeah...there is...but it depends what you want to do. Here on Oahu our jobless rate, correct me if I'm wrong, is around 2%....

 

[mrjimboalaska]

Hawaii is awesome and is a nice place to spend some time, it by no means is on our retirement list of places to be. Cost of living is too high, unreliable power source, and you HAVE to fly(or sail) to come and go.
I think the diving is comparable on all Islands personally, and the cost of living on the BI is the lowest of all.
So, if you have the money, it may be a place you want to be, when we settle down it will be Alaska, Montana or Idaho.

 

[Wildcard]

The help wanted ads in the paper are more than the people "looking" for work. I forgot the % but it was mentioned the other day. The problem is the wages vs the cost of living require 3 full time incomes to live with any comfort level at all. Housing prices are on the way down, finaly, so the next year or so may be a good time to buy. Unless you can buy a house outright, it would be hard to retire here. The big isle has the lowest COL and there are still reasonable priced lots availabvle but they are low for a reason. Either Vog like H.O.V.E. , rain like Hilo, or long travel time to everything else like Honokaa. Some of the upcountry stuff on Maui wont kill you too bad but the median was around 775,000. Oahu sucks IMHO. North shore is very nice thou.

 

[Cacia]

Where in NoCal? Because property on Oahu is comprable to San Diego or Orange County. Oahu is a bit less than Santa Barbara. Yes, it's expensive relative to most places. But you don't need nice clothes...heat..or nor do you drive the distances you would drive in Cali. If you have school age children, the public school situation should be examined. Hawaii has the highest private school attendance of any state, because the public schools rank near the bottom.

 

[Jon C]

Wow, has this been a topic in my house for years...and we're still here!

I could make Maui work financially, but my wife's shopping determination ratio (basically comes down to Malls per Square Mile) is fairly strict. And I don't want to live on Ohau.

In considering such a move, the last thing I would want to do is need to work so many hours to make ends meet that I would be locked out of enjoying the island. I have talked to many ex-mainlanders and their stories seem to be the same:

Ex-engineer or school teacher, made good money in California, sold everything, bought a 2 bedroom/one bath for $650,000, now work two jobs (gift store and Starbucks-12-14 hours a day) for $10.50 and hour, moved back to the mainland within 3 years.

I know people pull it off, but Hawaii is one of the few places a Californian can feel "sticker shock". You need to really plan the move if you want to duplicate your mainland lifestyle there.

Of course, if everyone could afford Hawaii...it would be ruined.

However, if I were single, I would do it in a minute. There would be no marital-collateral damage....

 

[Jon C]

There's a job market in Hawaii? I've had several friends who lived there for years move back to the mainland because they could no longer find work.

Of course I've been tempted myself, but have never even been to Hawaii. Thankfully the winter water temps here are a balmy 55-57 degrees so I can't complain about SoCal diving.

It was a bit cold this weekend, huh Dr. Bill!

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

It worked for me. It took me about a month to find a good job. Very hot and cold but it changes almost daily. One week I had nothing, the next week I got three job offers on the same day.

I took one, got a reasonably priced place, and am the envy of all my friends.

I have also only been here a month, have housemates, am supporting only myself, and share one car, so my situation may not apply.